I’ve been through Jasper and Banff National Parks before and have never encountered the crowds that are here now. This is crazy.I rolled into Jasper in good time yesterday, about 3 in the afternoon. Usually when you get into a town that early, it’s not a problem getting  room. I looked for almost an hour and finally resigned myself to going to the campground because there was no room at the inn. I’d camp in the rain if I had to. The only reason I wanted a room was because there was  50% chance of rain. As it turned out, it didn’t rain and I really enjoyed the campsite. It was right next to the one we had last year when we came through.

I left Jasper this AM at a leisurely hour and proceeded down the Parkway toward Banff. The goal for today was to do two paintings, one in Jasper National Park and one at Bow Lake. I was in showers off and on all morning when I stopped at Saskatchewan Crossing for fuel and a sandwich I fixed at the turn out just near there. This turn out is where we stopped last year. There are some really great views of the North Saskatchewan River and the rugged Canadian Rockies as a back drop, and a pretty good write up about how important this area was to the natives and first explorers. Some how I missed the write up last time. I did do a painting from a photo of the view however. I use it on my business card and having it hanging in the gallery.

The ride south was still mixed with showers off and on but as I rounded a particular bend in the highway, there was a turn out with a fantastic view of the rugged Canadian Rockies…AND the sun was shining through broken clouds…AND there was parking. I quickly pulled over and went to the farthest southern end of the lot and set up to do my painting.

What was particularly great about this turnout besides the view, was that there was room for me to park. Many of the turnouts were really packed, like at Yellowstone. I was beginning to get really frustrated.

It’s funny how when ever, where ever, I set up to paint, it draws the people. They must figure that if I’m painting the scene from this vantage point, because I’m an artist, this must be the best view. Which is fine except when they come and stand right in front of me to take their videos and photos. The orientals are some of the rudest, and there are plenty of them around here but that’s for another post I suppose.

Anyway, my next stop was Bow Lake. WOW! Was that place crowded. Jimminy Crickets! Cars were parked almost all the way to the highway from the lodge. WHAT! I went ahead down the drive and found a spot I could wedge into but while I was there, three HUGE tour buses showed up. They had a hell of a time getting turned around. Big buses too. I walked down to the lodge to see about getting my bride a poster she saw there last year. The gift shop was really crowded. I looked and looked and couldn’t see any posters. I finally got a chance to ask the sales girl and she said they were completely sold out of everything that has to do with Bow Lake or Num Ti Jah lodge. I asked about a mug! Everything she said. She said they got caught by surprise this year. I knew there seemed to be a lot of people out and about. No wonder there was no room at the inn last night. The campground, by the way, was sold out except for tent spaces. By this morning however, those had filled up last night too.

I was going to do a painting of the glacier at Bow Lake but it had begun to rain while I was in the gift shop. Just as well. It has been terribly dry here I guess and besides the glaciers there was no snow on the mountains. Non of them. Anywhere. The glacier looked really dirty too. Not picturesque even if it hadn’t been raining. So I struck out on both accounts at this stop. Makes me glad I found the painting to do when I did.

On to Canmore. With the rain I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be camping tonight so I planned to get a room in Canmore. There’s a great little campground on the Bow River near here that I originally had thought I’d camp at…but not in the rain. I rolled into Canmore from the north end, headed toward the EconoLodge on the south end where we stayed last year after getting soaked with a hard rain in the Calgary area. I was a little dismayed to see all the no vacancy signs lit up through town. I was still early, about 4:00 pm so I thought I’d be OK. There really isn’t much else choice until you get to Calgary and I didn’t want to go that way much less ride for another hour as I was soaked, and cold having ridden in the rain, hard at times, all the way from Bow Lake. The EconoLodge had one room left, the King Suite upstairs, complete with a jacuzzi. I won’t tell you what it cost. I’m just glad to have a room. Hard to sleep in the car when you’re on a motorcycle.